12 and 18 micron images of dust surrounding HD 32297

TL;DR

This paper presents high-resolution mid-infrared images of the dust disk around HD 32297, revealing its structure and dust distribution, which enhances understanding of circumstellar disks around A-type stars.

Contribution

First subarcsecond-resolution mid-IR images of HD 32297's dust disk, providing detailed insights into its structure and dust distribution at multiple wavelengths.

Findings

Disk extends ~150 AU in radius

Inner 80 AU region is dust-deficient

Mid-IR colors suggest temperature variations

Abstract

We present the first subarcsecond-resolution images at multiple mid-IR wavelengths of the thermally-emitting dust around the A0 star HD 32297. Our observations with T-ReCS at Gemini South reveal a nearly edge-on resolved disk at both 11.7 microns and 18.3 microns that extends ~150 AU in radius. The mid-IR is the third wavelength region in which this disk has been resolved, following coronagraphic observations by others of the source at optical and near-IR wavelengths. The global mid-IR colors and detailed consideration of the radial color-temperature distribution imply that the central part of the disk out to ~80 AU is relatively deficient in dust.